Why FX canceled what we do in the shadows

When it comes to sitcoms of the past ten years, it’s hard to find a more beloved one than What We Do in the Shadows. The series premiered on FX in 2019 and was based on the film of the same name by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement. However, as good as some things are, they must inevitably come to an end.

The The season 6 finale of What We Do in the Shadows was the series finalewith the vampires saying goodbye after more than 60 episodes and more than five years on the air. However, the decision was made before the start of the season, so it didn’t come as a surprise to any of the creatives involved, nor to any viewers following the news.

Overall, the series documented the nocturnal exploits of vampires Nandor (Kaivan Novak), Laszlo (Matt Berry), Nadia (Natasia Demetriou), and Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) as they try to make their way through the modern world in New York with the help of their human friend Guillermo ( Harvey Guillen), as well as a vampire bureaucrat known as The Guide (Kristen Schaal).

For what it’s worth, the quality of the show hasn’t deteriorated, based on the general consensus. /What We Do in the Shadows Season 6 review called it “pretty damn good fun.” It begs the question, why did FX decide to end a show with a loyal following that was still critically acclaimed? The answer is simple.

In short, the series just ran its course. Of course, American television is notorious for allowing shows to air in prime time. It’s the creative equivalent of frequently squeezing blood from a stone. It’s just the nature of business. (Not everything can be “Six Feet Under.”) However, in this case, FX decided to let the show go out on its own terms before it stuck around.

“The show has come to a natural end. It’s been a great six years,” FX chairman John Landgraf said at the TCAs in February 2024 (via Screen rent). Similarly, showrunner and executive producer Paul Simms addressed the show’s cancellation during a panel at New York Comic Con in October 2024. As explained by Simms, by The Hollywood ReporterTeam Shadows would rather come out on top than be stuck:

“I think it’s better to come out on top, and it’s better too early than too late. I don’t want to stay so long that there are only a few people up front in this audience. I mean, just look at how many people are here.”

Simms also made it clear at the time that they weren’t going to leave the audience with any unresolved issues. “It’s all in Season 6. Everything we ever wanted to do is there,” he said. There’s nothing worse than spinning, so at least fans of the show got some closure.

The good news is that this franchise has more to offer viewers. On the one hand, the movie the show is based on is truly wonderful, and those who haven’t seen it would do well to check it out. In addition to this, there was also a relatively short-lived series titled “Wellington Paranormal,” which originally aired in New Zealand and later aired on the CW and Max. So for those looking to fill the vampire-sized hole in their heart, this might be a good start.

What We Do in the Shadows is streaming on Hulu, or you can grab the show on DVD from Amazon.